Gateshead

Gateshead's population increased by about 9,100 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population passed 200,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Gateshead increased by 4.7%, from just over 191,000 to 200,000.

The addition of just under 9,100 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Gateshead was home to, on average, 10 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across the North East

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the North East, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Gateshead

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Gateshead increased by one year, from 39 to 40 years.

This area had a slightly lower average age than the North East and remained slightly older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of about 4,500 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by about 3,000.

About 13.0% of people in Gateshead are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, North East and Gateshead by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

More people cohabiting

Gateshead saw England's largest rise in the proportion of households with an unmarried couple.

In 2011, just under one in nine (10.9%) households in Gateshead had an unmarried couple, compared with 7.6% in 2001. The percentage of households comprising just one person remained close to 32.9%.

Barnsley saw England's next largest rise in the proportion of households with an unmarried couple (from 9.0% to 12.3%).

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Gateshead increased by 3.3 percentage points

Percentage of households in Gateshead, the North East and England that had an unmarried couple, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Gateshead

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Gateshead was among those who said they had no religion, rising 13.5 points.

In 2011, 25.3% of respondents in Gateshead gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 11.8% of those who answered in 2001.

Across the North East, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion that described themselves as having no religion increased from 11.8% to 24.9%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Gateshead, 71.0% said they were Christian, compared with 86.2% in 2001. About 0.2% said they were Sikh, compared with 0.2% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and did not state their religion decreased from 7.5% to 6.1%.

In Gateshead, 5.7% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 6.9% in 2001. In North East, 6.1% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001. Across England, 7.2% of people did not answer, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

The population without a religion in Gateshead increased by 13 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, North East and Gateshead by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Fall in social renting

The percentage of Gateshead households that rented through social housing schemes decreased from 34.2% to 28.0% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under one in eight (12.5%) households rented privately, compared with 6.3% in 2001. The percentage of Gateshead households that owned their home remained close to 58.2%.

The proportion of socially rented homes fell faster here than the figure for the whole of the North East (from 27.5% in 2001 to 23.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 19.4% to 17.9%.

The rate of social housing in Gateshead decreased by 6.2 percentage points

Percentage of households in Gateshead, the North East and England that rented socially, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

Gateshead saw the North East's largest fall in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad.

In 2011, just over 1 in 13 (8.0%) in Gateshead said their health was bad or very bad, compared with 13.0% in 2001. The percentage that perceived their health as good or very good increased from 62.6% to 76.5%.

Across the region, County Durham saw the next largest decrease in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad (from 13.2% in 2001 to 8.2% in 2011).

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

Every local authority area across the North East saw a fall in the proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad, as the regional average fell from 12.0% to 7.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Gateshead decreased by 5.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Gateshead, the North East and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in rate of self-employment

The percentage of Gateshead residents that were self-employed increased from 4.5% to 6.0% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over one in two (54.0%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 50.2% in 2001. The percentage of Gateshead residents that were unemployed increased from 4.0% to 5.0%.

The proportion of self-employed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North East (from 5.3% in 2001 to 6.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 8.2% to 9.7%.

The rate of self-employment in Gateshead increased by 1.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Gateshead, the North East and England that said they were self-employed, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing relationships in Gateshead

The proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner increased in Gateshead, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in the North East, except Newcastle upon Tyne and Middlesbrough.

Across the North East, the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased from 10.9% to 12.0% between the last two censuses, while the proportion in Newcastle upon Tyne (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Gateshead) fell from 10.9% to 10.5%.

The proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner was higher than across the North East

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they had divorced or broken up with a married or civil partner across local authority areas in the North East and the average across England, March 2011

Disability in Gateshead

The percentage of Gateshead residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 6.8% to 6.3% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just under 1 in 20 (4.8%) reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 4.3% in 2001. The percentage of Gateshead residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 88.9%.

The proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North East (from 6.8% in 2001 to 6.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 6.8% to 6.5%.

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the North East

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the North East and the average across England, March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Gateshead working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 9.2% to 7.2% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just under 1 in 40 (2.3%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.5% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North East (from 10.6% in 2001 to 8.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13.0% to 10.1%.

Long hour working in Gateshead decreased by 2.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Gateshead, the North East and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Gateshead

In 2011, 1.9% of Gateshead residents said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, up from from 0.9% in 2001.

Across the North East, the percentage of people from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from 1.6% to 2.9%, while across England the percentage went from 5.2% to 8.0%.

Around 96.3% of people in Gateshead said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, compared with 98.4% in 2001. About 0.8% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 0.4% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Other ethnic groups (Arab or any other ethnic group) increased from 0.2% to 0.6%.

The population from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups in Gateshead remained close to 1.9%

Percentage of usual residents in England, North East and Gateshead by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Gateshead residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.4% to 1.7% in the decade to 2011.

The percentage who reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 2.9%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North East (from 1.4% in 2001 to 1.6% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Gateshead remained close to 1.7%

Percentage of usual residents in England, North East and Gateshead by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Gateshead with only adult children living with their parents remained close to 10.8% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in four (27.0%) households had at least one dependent child, compared with 28.3% in 2001. While the percentage of households in Gateshead without children increased from 60.8% to 62.2%.

The proportion of households with adult children living with their parents fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the North East (which remained close to 10.6%). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.4% to 9.6%.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was higher than across the North East

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in the North East and the average across England, March 2011

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